An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Kresse
Kresse (1.), f., ‘cress, from the equiv. MidHG. kręsse, OHG. chręsso, m., chressa, f.; corresponding to Du. kers, kors, f., AS. cœrse, f., E. cress. This word, which is probably peculiar to West Teut., found its way to the North—Dan. karse, Swed. krasse, Lett. kresse; it was also adopted by the Rom. languages — Fr. cresson, Ital. crescione. The assumption that the Rom. words contain the orig. form is opposed by the early appearance of the term in the old West Teut. languages. It is true that no plausible explanation of OHG. chręsso (Goth. *krasja?) has been put forward; OHG. chrësan, MidHG. krësen, krîsen, ‘to crawl,’ seems unrelated.
Kresse (2.), f., ‘gudgeon,’ from the equiv. MidHG. kresse, OHG. chresso, m. Different from Kresse (1). The fish is thus named only in G., and hence the term is not diffused in West Teut. like the preceding word.